


Overshadowed

by GrammarKnighty



Category: The Lion Guard (Cartoon), The Lion King (1994)
Genre: Angst, Can be seen as a sort of prequel to Lion Guard, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Maybe - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:46:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24239755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrammarKnighty/pseuds/GrammarKnighty
Summary: When you're the second-born, you'll always be overlooked in favour of your older sibling. That's just a fact of life, Kion guesses. Doesn't mean he has to like it.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Overshadowed

There wasn't much difference to tell apart the continuously changing color of the sun. One moment, the lion cub was watching the sun peaking over the earth-sky line, coloring the sky red. Another moment, the sun was already in the sky that was now back to its blue colour, but lighter than it would be during night time, where the moon would shower him with its soft light.

"Stargazing to sleep again, Kion?" a soothing female voice greeted him from behind, before a full grown lioness lay down beside him, watching whatever there was to see. There were many things to look at after all, especially on the peak of Priderock where one had pretty much a full view everything in the Pridelands. A gentle arm pulled Kion closer to her body, locking him in an unbreakeable embrace.

Kion pouted, squirming and failing terribly at escaping the hold binding him. "Mom~" His paws hurt for him to even try again the second time. His resolve melted completely when his head was met with a pinkish, course surface, brushing over his fur in a not so gentle manner. "Stop it! I'm not even dirty."

His mother's tongue slowed down its pace in attacking Kion's growing mane, making its way towards his neck to his back. It still hurt though. The short gaps between her talking and licking was a blessing to the cub. "But you still sneaked out at night without supervision and made me worried thinking you got into trouble. At least have Zazu watching you. He won't mind. Consider this a punishment." Kion just grumbled at the response.

"You would've known where I'd be anyway. It's not like I have anywhere else to go to..." He must have had a sad look that his mother noticed because before he knew it he was already on his back, his mother's gaze locking him in place. Of course, her arms did help in that, but seeing her smiling at him in that mirthful yet concerned face of hers brought out a calm wave of contentment from inside him. The sunlight above them made her have this shadowy tint to her, making her look all the more angelic in his view. She raised a brow but kept looking amused.

"You don't seem happy having me around."

Kion chuckled. "No, no. I have the best mom in the world I wouldn't trade for everything! It's just…" His sentence stopped at there, the wide expansion of the Pridelands' grass being the only interesting thing to look at. Safe to say, he regretted doing that the next second. A nose found its way to Kion's belly and mercilessly moved up and down, forcing out a continuous laugh comparable to an adult's roar from it. It wasn't until he was out of breath that the wicked lioness before him stopped her torture on him. He gasped for air, a lot. "Why do you always like to do that?"

"Because it works. Why else? Now keep that smile on your face. No son of mine is having that look on his face."

Kion managed to say something between his breath. "I'm your only sonーNo, no!" His hindleg was stuck under her weight, leaving him with his forelegs to defend against her never-ending assaults. She laughed. "What was that for?"

"Well, one of two cubs. It's always amusing seeing you all cute like this."

"I'm not cute!" Pausing a bit, he rephrased that sentence in his head. "Maybe a little." His mother almost roared with just her laugh despite his own voice being at its lowest while admitting that. He considered it a miracle nobody had woken up to shout at them for disturbing the quietーWell, almostーmorning blessed upon the Pridelands.

His mother sighed, after a long period of laughing her heart out. She sighed. "Don't grow up, okay. I'll feel old." And just like that Kion escaped his punishment session, getting hugged instead as the two watched the scenery before them, animals of all kind passing through. He spoke too soon of course, but he didn't mind the tongue brushing over his fur. He felt like cleaning himself anyway.

"Don't you feel bored, playing with me all the time?"

"Why would I? You're the best mom, playmate, and queen ever."

"I'll be teaching Kiara." And just like that also, the spell binding them was broken.

"O-oh. Good luck. I guess…" His mother released her hold on him which he was thankful for. He hesitated on whether to leave or hear her out. He stayed, if only to hear what she had to say.

"I haven't been on good term with your father lately. But we bothーWe allーknow how important this is to her."

"You love her."

"I love your sister as much as I do you, Kion."

"Then why she gets everything I ever want?" By this point, even Kion himself wasn't sure if he choked on his words or not. The tears trailing his cheek as he ran proved such.

"Kion, wait!"

The cub followed his feeling to the bottom of Priderock, unable to see clearly. His paws were tired of wiping his tears. At last, they stopped. He rested upon the unusually cold boulder supporting the structure he called home. He sat there, alone.

"Kion, there you are." His mother approached him. She stopped just before her paw could touch him. He acted oblivious, at least until a tongue reached his face, licking the remaining tears away. Her paws ran over his head. "I know it's hard for you, but please see it from a vulture's eyes. Kiara is a lioness. She needs to know how to hunt and I'm the best hunter out here." She chuckled at that, perhaps thinking he would chuckle along. He didn't say anything.

"I'm telling you to find a friend. One your age would be preferable. I think there's a cheetah passing here every day."

Kion felt the need to deflate her hope. "You mean that rude, uptight, tomboyish cheetah that I tried to befriend a few days ago? Yeah, I'll see if I can do that." They passed the moment in complete silence, acknowledging the smallest of movements made under their eyes. Kion sighed and looked at his mother, his anger forgotten. "Sorry, mom. I got carried over."

"It's okay, honey. I understand. How about taking a walk. I'm sure that can clear your mind? It's a bright day after all."

"Can I… just go by myself? I need a time alone." Kion looked at her. He caught a glimpse of reluctant smile on her muzzle but did nothing to point it out.

"Of course, but be back before noon. Look after yourself, okay?"

"Okay…"

And with that, Kion slowly backed away from his mother, his feet walking in slow pace as if being held down by the grass. Once Priderock was just as big as a tree could get, the grass hold on him loosened and he sprinted, putting all his sadness and disappointment into the sprint. Yet, his cheeks remained wet to the touch.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to go into a work that I haven't published yet. However, it's likely that it won't ever be, so here, one of the only parts that are finished.


End file.
